Abstract: This paper details the development of a polymer-based miniaturized spectrometer as part of the "Minispectral" project at Jade University of Applied Sciences. The spectrometer's design leverages advanced injection molding techniques to create a polymer dome, which forms the core structure of the device. A concave diffraction grating is incorporated on the dome's surface to disperse incoming light into its constituent wavelengths. The dome and grating are designed with a generalized Rowland circle radius ratio in three-dimensional space, producing a lens effect for focused detection and analysis. Zemax ray tracing simulations are used to model the optical setup, while wave optics simulations, utilizing Rigorous Coupled-Wave Analysis (RCWA) implemented through Dynamic Link Libraries (DLLs) in Zemax, simulate critical parameters such as dome alignment, blazing, and the line density of the concave diffractive optical element (DOE). These simulations are vital for optimizing the spectrometer's performance. This paper presents the basic design, simulations, and the first test grating masters.

Keywords: Spectrometer, Polymer-based, Miniaturized, Injection molding, Diffraction grating, Optical simulations.

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